Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2006-83831 discloses an air blower comprising a motor, a fan rotatingly driven by the motor, a casing retaining the motor and the fan thereinside, an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening both formed on the casing, and a handle provided at the casing. This air blower suctions air through the air inlet opening by the rotation of the fan, and blows out the air through the air outlet opening. An attachment, such as a nozzle, a hose pipe, or a dust collecting bag, can be attached to the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening. As the hose pipe or the nozzle is attached to the air outlet opening, the air blower functions as a blower that blasts off powder dusts or the like. Moreover, as the hose pipe or the nozzle is attached to the air inlet opening, and the dust collecting bag is attached to the air outlet opening, the air blower can function as a dust collector that collects powder dusts or the like.
According to the conventional air blower, however, because the motor largely protrudes in a direction vertical to the rotational plane of the fan, the workability thereof at a narrow space like a place against a wall is poor. Moreover, because the handle is arranged in the vicinity of the motor, when the attachment is attached to the air inlet opening or the air outlet opening of the casing, the weight balance becomes unbalanced, resulting in a poor workability.